Needle-bar-controlling device for sewing machines



Jan. 1, 1929. 1,697,383

F. M. CARD NEEDLE BAR CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed July 31, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 71 45.5 .1; 65' 00 c J! J lNVENTOR Hederz'c M ard ATTORNEY Jan. 1, 1929.

F. M. CARD v NEEDLE BAR CONTROLLING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed July 51, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVE.NTOR Mederzc 1% 002a TTORNEY WITNES ZZQZMA Patented Jan. 1, 1929.

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NEEDLE-BAB-GONTROLLING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Application filed July 31,

This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines more particularly of that class in which means are provided for throwing a needle temporarily out of action during the continued operation of the other mechanism of the machine. The primary object of the invention is to provide manually-com trolled means for yieldingly throwing a needle out of action at a predetermined point in its reciprocatory path during the continued operation of the machine.

The present needle-controlling means comprises an improvement more particularly of the device disclosed in my pending patent application Serial No. 35,854, filed June 9,

1925. In its preferred embodimenh it is applied to a two-needle sewing machine in which two needle-bars are normally coupled for unison reciprocation and in which one of the needle-bars may be at will disconnected from its actuating mechanism and is automatically recoupled therewith after a predetermined number of reciprocations of the continuously reciprocated needle-bar.

In, for instance, the production of an angular seam, the continuously reciprocated needle-bar should produce a definite-number of stitches during the idle period of the disconnectible' needle-bar and to this end the needle-bar controlling mechanism includes a stitch-counting device which automatically controls the recoupling of the disconnectedneedle-bar with its actuating mechanism. In order to permit the stitch-counting device to at all times function etficiently,it is essential that the beginning of the operation of the stitch-counting device bears adefinite relation to the time when the disconnectible needle-bar is thrown out of operation. In the present machine, while the throwing out of action of the disconnectible needlebar is manually initiated at will, the improvement comprehends a device whereby the manually initiated throw-out action is not completed until the needle-bar reaches a definite point in its path of reciprocation, which is preferably at the upper end of its stroke.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a rear elevation of a preferred embodiment of the present improvement as applied to a two-needle sewing machine of which the arm is shown in section. Fig. 2 is an enlarged rear elevation, partly in section, of the stitchcounting device. Fig. 3 is'a perspective View 1925. Serial No. 47,257.

of the forward endof the counting device bracket. Fig. 41 comprisesperspective views bracket-arm 1 terminating at its forward end in the head 2, in which bracket-arm is journaled the rotary main or needle-reciprocating shaft 8. At its forward end,the shaft 3 carries the usual cranledisk 4 connected by means of a link 5 with a' lateral stud 6 of a collar 7 suitably clamped upon a main needle-bar 8. The needlebar 8 is journaled for endwise reciprocation in suitable bearings provided by an upper elongated bushing 9 and a lower bushing 10 lined in alined apertures in the head 2. The needle-bar 8 carries at its lower. end a needle 11 and is formed with an angular groove 12 in which is slidingly fitted an auxiliary slab-sided 'needlebar 13 carrying a needle 14. The connection between the collar 7 and the main needle-bar 8 is such as to permit said bar 8 .to be reciprocated by the link 5 independ is slidingly disposed upon a vertical guidepin 20 carried by a reciprocatory slide 1 block 21. The slide-block 21 is mounted in a suitable undercut guideway 22provided in the forward portion 23 of acounting-device supporting bracket 24su1tably-secured upon {thebracket-arm l of the machine.

To effect uncoupling of the needle-bars, the slide-block 21 is connected by means of a link 25 with one end of a lever26, pivotally supported intermediate its ends upon the bracket-portion 23; At its opposite end the lever 26 has a ball-jeint connection, with a link 27 pivoted to a vibratory arm 28 which is fulcrumedupona screw 29threaded into tuated lever 32 as in the machine of my prior patent application above referred to, said arm has a yielding connection with the lever 32, which yielding connection constitutes an important feature of the present improve ment and will now be described.

Fixed upon a grooved ear'33 of the arm 28 is a latch-releasing block 34, having a bevelled'or wedge-tooth 35 and an aperture 36 in which is slidingly disposed a rod 37 having one end suitably connected with the lever 32. Threaded upon the other end of said rod 37 is an adjustable nut 38 and a lock-nut 39, between which nut 38 and a washer 4O bearing against the block 34 is interposed a coil-spring 41 surrounding the rod 37. Suitably pinned upon the rod 37 upon the side of the block 34 opposite to that occupied by the spring 41 is a keeper-block 42 having a latch-retaining edge 43 and also arcuate faced, upwardly progecting guidelugs, as 44, spaced from each other in a direction transversely of the length of the rod 37 A buffer-washer 45 is preferably inter posed between the keeper-block 42 and the latch-releasing block 34. I

Secured upon the bracket 24, by means of a screw 46, is an upwardly extending arm 47 having at its free end a transverse, apertured boss 48 in which is journaled a pivot-pin 49 of a latch-arm 50. The latch-arm 50 is provided on its under side with a latching shoulder 51 adapted to engage the latchingblock edge 43, said latch-arm being yieldingly urged by a spring 52 toward the block 42 which normally sustains the latch-arm in unlatchcd position between the guide-lugs 44. Adjustably mounted upon the latch arm 50, by means of screws 53, is the shank 54 of a bevelled latch-arm releasing nose 55 which is complemental to the block 34 in the action, subsequently to be described, of releasing the latch-arm 50 from its keeperblock 42.

The counting device, per se, is substan tially as fully disclosed in my prior patent application before referred to. The arm 28 carries a pin 56 which in the connected position of the needle-bars overlies the forward end 57 of a latch-lever 5.8 pivotally mounted upon the bracket 24 by means of a pivotscrew 59. The under side of this latch-lever is engaged by a plunger 60 under the action of a spring 61 to urge said latchlever 58 upwardly. At its forward end, the latch-lever 58 is formed with a latching notch 62 and on 'its upper side it is provided with an adjustable tappet-engaging plate 63. In needle-bar uncoupled position, the arm 28 occupies a position wherein the pin 56 is disposed in the latch-lever notch 62, whereby the arm 28 is held locked in this position. To automatically release the arm 28; there is provided a tappet 64 which is suitably secured upon a shaft 65 journaled in the bracket 24. The tappet 64 is intermittently advanced, stitch by stitch, to engage the latch-lever plate 63 by i the intermittent movements of a ratchet-wheel 66, which is also ournaled upon the bracket 24 for rotation with the shaft 65 and is yieldingly held against an adjustable stop-screw 67'. in the coupled relationship of the needle-bars. A portion of the periphery of the ratchetwheel is provided with teeth 68 adapted to be engaged, in needle-bar uncoupled position, by an actuating pawl 69 and a stoppawl 7 O. The stop-pawl 70 is suitably pivoted upon the bracket 24, while the actuating pawl 69 is pivotally carried by a rockerarm 71 connected by means of a pitman 72 with an eccentric 73 upon the needle-reciprocating shaft 3. In the coupledrelationship of the needle-bars, both the actuating pawl 69 and the stop pawl 70 are held out of engagement with the ratchet-wheel teeth 68 by the provision upon said stop-pawl 70 of a shoulder 74 which is disposedin the path of a pin 75 carried by the arm 28. When the arm 28 is actuated in a direction to conple the needle-bars, the pin 75 swings the stop-pawl 70 away from the ratchet-wheel and as the free end of the actuating pawl 69 overlies the stop-pawl, the latter carries said pawl 69 also away from engagement with the ratchet-wheel, against the action of the usual pawl-depressing springs? 6 and 77.

Provision is made for only permitting a needle-bar uncoupling movement of the coupling-block 19 at the upper end of the stroke of the needle-bar 13. This is accomplished by disposing a stop-plate or member 78 adjacent the block 19, which stop-- member is of sufficient length to prevent lat eral movement of the block 19 excepting at the upper limit of movement of the needlebar 13. The stop-memberextends at a right angle from its base 79 which is secured by screws 80 upon the grooved face of an up standing lug 81 provided upon the forward end 23 of the bracket 24. The upper edge of the stop-member 7 8 also serves as a rest for the coupling-block 19 to retain the uncoupled needle-bar 13 at its upper limit of stroke. The usual buffer-rod 82 is employed to prevent an upward movement of the disconnected needle-bar 13, beyond. the limit of its normal reciprocatory path.

In the operation of the machine, the neodle-bars 8 and 13 arenormally coupled by the pin 16 for reciprocation in unison, under which condition the vibratory-arm 28 is held against the stop-screw 31 by the spring 30, whereby the pin 7 carried by the arm 28 holds the pawls 69 and 70 in ineffective position and whereby the pin 56 also carried by the arm 28 overlies the forward end 57 of the latch-lever 58, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be observed that in this position of the parts, the shoulder 51 of the latch-arm is released from thekeeperblock edge 13. Then it is desired to throw the needle-bar 13 out of operation during the operation of the machine, the treadlecontrolled lever 32 may be actuated to move the rod 37 to the left, as viewed in F 1. Should the needle-bar 13 occupy any point in its path of reciprocation other than the upper limit of its stroke, at the time when the lever 32 is actuated, no uncoupling movement of the pin 16 can occur because .of interference by the stop-member 78.

Consequently the vibratory arm 28 at this time also remains. substantially stationary, thereby preventing the counting device from being thrown into effective operation. Therefore the only resultant of the actuation of lever 32 is a responsive movement of the rod 37 which carries the keeper-block 42 into position wherein the shoulder 51 of the latoharm 50 snaps over the keeper-block edge 43 to hold the rod. This movement of the rod 37 obviously compresses the spring 41 against the, at this time, stationary releasing-block 34. As soon as the needle-bar 13 reaches the upper limit of its stroke, the coupling-block 19 clears the stop-member 78 and is free to shift laterally under the action of the spring all, which when compressed is relativelystronger than the spring .30. The present construction is therefore in the nature of a yielding shifting means interposed in the connections with the treadle whereby the uncoupling action is eitected without undue harshness but with the necessary rapidity and timing.

lVhen the spring 41 causes the needle-bar uncoupling movement of the rod 37, the releasing block 34c engages and lifts the nose of the latch-arm 50 to release said latcharm from the keeper-block 42. The needlebar uncoupling movement of the vibratory arm 28 permits the latch-lever 58 to simultaneously latch the pin 56, at the same time permitting the pawls 69 and 70 to effectively engage the ratchet-wheel teeth 68, whereupon after a predetermined number of stitches the tappet 6% again releases the latch-lever 58 to permit the spring 30 to cause a recoupling of the needle-bar 13 with its actuating mechanism. It will be observed that both the coupling and uncoupling movements of; the coupling-member 16 are of a yielding character effected by the springs 30 and 41, the shifting movement of the coupling-member to (llSCOllIlECiJ the needle-bar 13 from its actuating mechanism being initlated under manual control,

while the recoupling movement of said member 16 is yieldingly effected by auto.- matically controlled mechanism thrown into effective action simultaneously with the uncoupling of the needle-bar at a: predetermined point in its path of reciprocation.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim. herein is F- 1. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a recipro-catory needle-bar, and actuating mechanism including a shiftable coupling member normally inoperative position to reciprocate said needlebar, of manually controlled means operable during the operation of the machine for uncoupling the needle-bar and its reciprocating means, including a spring effecting a yielding shift of said coupling-member into uncoupled position at a predetermined point in the path of reciprocation of said needle-bar.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocatory needle-bar, and actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle-bar including a shiftable coupling-member, of manually controlled means for initiating a shifting movement of said coupling-memher to uncouple the needle-bar from its actuating mechanism during the operation of the machine, a stop-member limiting the uncoupling'movement of the coupling-member to a predetermined point in the path of reciprocation of the needle-bar, and means for yieldingly completing the uncoupling movement of said coupling member.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocatory needle-bar and actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle-bar including a shiftable coupling-member, of a spring normally ineffective to shift said coupling-member, and treadle-controlled means operable during the operation of the machine for rendering said spring effective to shift the coupling-member to thereby disconnect the -needlebar from its'actuating mechanism.

4. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism including a reciprocatory needle-bar, and actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle-bar including a 'shiftable coupling-member, of a spring normally ineffective to shift said coupling member, treadle-controlled means for latching said spring in position to yieldingly shift the coupling-member into uncoupled position to thereby disconnect the needle-bar from its actuating mechanism, and means for limiting the time of effective action of said spring to the upper end of the needle-bar stroke.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination ing mechanism for reciprocating said needle-bar including a shiftable coupling member connecting the needle-bar with said mechanism, of a stop-member limiting the uncoupling movement of said coupling-member to a definite point in the path of reciprocation of said bar, a spring manually rendered effective during the operation of the machine for yieldingly shifting said coupling-member into needle-bar uncoupled position, and automatically acting means for recoupling the uncoupled needle-bar with its actuating mechanism after a predetermined interval of operationof the machine.

6. In a sewing machine, the combination with a reciprocatory needle-bar and actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle-bar including a shiftable coupling member connecting the needle-bar with its actuating mechanism, of a treadle-controlled lever operable during the operation of the machine, and a spring connection between said lever and the coupling-member to ef feet a yielding needle-bar uncoupling movement of said coupling-member.

7. In a sewing machine, in combination, a reciprocatory needle-bar, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle-bar, a shiftable coupling-member interposed between said needle-barand its actuating mechanism, a manually controlled spring for shifting said coupling-member to yieldingly disconnect the needle-bar from its actuating mechanism during the operation of the machine, and an automatically controlled spring for yieldingly recoupling the needlebar With its actuating mechanism after a predetermined interval of operation of the machine.

8. In a sewing machine, in combination, a reciprocatory needle-bar, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle-bar, a shiftable coupling-member connecting said needle-bar with its actuating mechanism, a counting-device, a vibratory arm controlling the effective operation of said counting-device and operatively connected with said coupling-member, treadle-controlled yielding means for vibrating said arm in one direction to shift the coupling-member into needle-bar uncoupled position, and counting device controlled yielding means for recoupling the needle-bar with its actuating mechanism after a predetermined interval of operation of the machine in the idle position of said needle-bar.

9. In a sewing machine, in combination, a reciprocatory main needle-bar, actuating mechanism for reciprocating said needle-bar, an auxiliary needle-bar, a shittable couplingmember operatively connecting the auxili ary needle-bar with said main needle-bar and for disconnecting it therefrom, means for limiting any shifting movement of said coupling-member to a pre-determined point in the path of reciprocation of the needlebars, a counting-device controlling vibra tory-arin, an operative connection between said arm and the coupling-member, a manually controlled lever, a yielding connection between said lever and arm, means brought into action upon actuation of said lever for latching said yielding connection in position to shift said coupling-member to disconnect the auxiliary needle-bar from the main needle-bar, and a member for releasing said latching means during said uncoupling movement of the coupling-member.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

FREDERIG M. CARD; 

